Frank. Ella. Sammy. Man of the all-time great entertainers have performed in A.C. casinos over the past 30 years.
While the modern-day casino era has brought such big-name stars as David Bowie, Gnarls Barkley, Snoop Dogg, Pearl Jam, Eminem, the Who and Alicia Keys to town, shortly after Resorts opened its doors in 1978, Atlantic City casinos began filling their stages with some of the biggest names of the entertainment world. This week, we dive into the Atlantic City Weekly (formerly Whoot!) photo archives in order to provide a glimpse into the casino stage shows of yesteryear.
While mammoth stars have always performed in Atlantic City - whether it was the Glenn Miller Orchestra at Steel Pier in 1938, the Beatles at Convention Hall in 1964 or Ray Charles numerous times at the former Club Harlem -- the town's casinos have certainly kept up the tradition - today, more than ever.
The photos here were taken by the late Herb Steiner and Dan Posnak, as well as Lew Steiner and Lori Hoffman. When possible, the venue and date are listed along with the performer. (Thanks to David Spatz for his help on a few venue identifications.)
Tom Jones, Resorts, 8/86
Howie Mandel, Sands, 1/93
Fats Domino, Tropicana, 6/83
Sammy Davis Jr., Harrah's, 8/84
Redd Foxx, Playboy/Atlantis, 2/83
Frank Sinatra, Golden Nugget, 1/83
George Jones, Bally's Grand, 12/94
The Spinners, Tropicana, 2/84
Then: In the early years of the gaming era, catching two shows in one night was not only possible, it was easy. Resorts (and the first few casinos that followed) usually offered shows at 8 and 11:30pm. So seeing a show at Resorts and then moseying on down to the former (Caesars) Boardwalk Regency left plenty of time to enjoy a drink and catch a lounge act in between.
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